The Unbeknown Monarch
by Jaina22
Summary: One of the crew's once crystal past is clouded when they encounter an important stranger. *Totally Complete this time*
1. I've Seen Worse

"Beka, I got the mainframe back up!" Harper yelled from his console in the Maru.

"Good job! Why don't you see if you can get the engines back online? Rommie, Dylan, and Trance have been working on it but they haven't had any luck yet." Beka replied from another end of the ship.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna jack in and see if I can reroute some reserve power to the main controls!"

"Alright, but be careful! Hey, do you have a nanowelder?"

"Yah, you can use it if you need to. It's somewhere around here…I think!"

Beka chuckled, knowing very well how messy her engineer could be. "I'll be there in a sec but if I have to dig through your garbage you're going to be in big trouble!"

Harper sighed as he plugged himself in. The Maru had been on its way to get supplies when an angry bunch of Kalderans had attacked it. Tyr and Rommie, who had been the ones piloting the Maru, had limped back with no supplies and a very broken ship. It left Harper, the resident engineer and fix-it man with a pretty big project. He could only guess what Dylan, Trance, and Rommie were doing to the poor engines. He knew Rommie was the only one who had an even close to advanced education on ship mechanics, and even she was mostly clueless when it came to Beka's junker.

__

Newbies, Harper mused as he entered the Maru's matrix. It was nothing like the Andromeda's of course, quite different, in fact. It was exactly like the Maru only there was no metal in the way of important wires and internal problems could be fixed with the flick of a wrist, the flick of Harper's wrist, to be more precise.

Beka walked into command and saw Harper slumped over. She smiled at the scene. Being blessed with good luck, she managed to find the nanowelder she needed within only five minutes and was about to leave when a small explosion rocked the ship.

"Harper, what the hell was that?!" she asked. When he didn't answer she turned around and gasped at what she saw. The explosion had originated from the console Harper had been working from. The blast had thrown him against the wall.

"Harper! Harper!" she slapped his cheeks to try to get a coherent response, but was rewarded only by a weak groan. "Harper can you hear me?"

"Ow," the blonde engineer said softly in reply.

Just then Dylan and Trance came running into command.

"Beka, how'd you get the engines back online?" Dylan asked before he saw what was going on.

"Harper!" Trance exclaimed, then focused her attention on Beka, "What happened?"

Beka looked up at the newcomers with worry etched on her face. "I think he got shocked when he was interfacing but I've never seen anything this serious before."

"I think the charge safeties blew along with all the Maru's key systems, Rommie said as she entered command. "That means there was nothing holding back the electricity flow that was being emitted when Harper accessed whatever it was he accessed."

"Can you do anything Trance?" Dylan asked as he knelt down next to Beka.

The gold girl paused before answering, "Dylan, I really don't think it'd be a good idea for me to do anything. Neural ports have to do with the brain and I'm really not qualified to mess around with them. Add that to the fact that I have no idea how they work and I think you'll come up with the same conclusion I have."

Dylan nodded, "Then we'll take him to a specialist in the Maru. We need parts anyway."

Beka frowned and said, "Good idea, but there's a slight problem, the Maru is broken. Remember?"

"Not anymore," Trance piped in. "Whatever happened restored power to all the major systems and Tyr's already fixed the slipstream drive. That means the Maru's space worthy and ready for flight."

"Alright, Trance, you and Rommie get off the Maru and we'll prep for launch." Dylan said.

Rommie looked somewhat disappointed at the fact that she wouldn't be going along but left quietly, following Trance. Dylan and Beka took their semiconscious engineer to Beka's bunk.

Beka said hesitantly, "You stay with him while I fly us outta here."

Dylan nodded and watched her leave before turning his attention back to Harper.

"You with me Harper?" He asked tentatively.

"Sure thing boss," Harper whispered in reply, startling Dylan. "I don't know how long I'll be able to keep at it though. I'm so tired…"

"Harper, you need to stay awake. You might have a concussion so you can't lose consciousness."

"Mmhmm," was the mumbled reply.

Harper's eyelids felt like lead and he could no longer keep them open. The transition to slipstream rattled his body and caused flames of pain to lick at his head. Now that he thought about it, his head felt really heavy too. Dylan kept talking to him but he was too tired to do anything but grunt and groan so his captain would know he was awake. It seemed like hours before he heard Beka's voice.

"How ya doing sport?" she asked.

"I've seen worse," Harper replied, then as an afterthought added, "I think."

Dylan chuckled and Beka got the med kit out from under her bunk.

"Yah," the blonde woman said as she surveyed the damage Harper had taken, "you've definitely seen worse."

"How do you feel?" Dylan asked.

Harper pried his eyes open and was glad the lights were set to dim. He figured he'd be feeling halfway decent if his head didn't hurt so badly. To answer Dylan's question he replied, "Terrible."

Beka quietly shooed Dylan away while she administered some basic first aid. Harper was actually quite compliant and only refused to let her touch his dataport. The knock he took to his head appeared to be what was worrying her and Dylan. They didn't let him close his eyes again until they felt relatively sure he wasn't going to slip into a coma and die on them. After six hours of staring at the Maru's ceiling and listening to Beka and Dylan drone on about the most boring things imaginable, Harper's eyelids slowly flickered shut and he fell deep asleep.


	2. The Dream

__

"Please take him," the man sounded desperate. "Please, I beg of you! Take him or he'll die."

The noise of ships firing could be heard in the background. A gruff looking man stood with his arms crossed in front of a well dressed man and woman. The trio was on a ship and the woman was holding a baby. She cooed softly to it as she wrapped it in nice, white, silk blankets.

"Please," she said softly as she held out her child to the stranger.

Surprisingly, the man took it, "And what exactly am I suppose ta do with 'em? I'm justa trader, ya know."

"Give him to a family that will love him and raise him as their own," the other man said.

"What's the 'lil tyke's name?" the trader asked.

The woman smiled with sad satisfaction before replying, "His name is—"

Harper awoke with a start and slammed his left temple on the ceiling of the Maru. His eyes rolled back as white dots danced before them.

'I wonder if it's normal to see stars when there's no viewport nearby…' He thought to himself.

Harper gave his head a slight shake in an attempt to clear his vision but it only made the pain in his head worse. He put a hand up to his temple and wasn't surprised to feel a layer of gauze encompassing his forehead.

"Ouch," he whispered when the tips of his probing fingers hit a tender area.

The throbbing in his head, however, was nothing compared to the intense, shooting pain he felt whenever he moved his neck. It originated from his port and seemed to radiate down his neck and spinal cord to all his limbs.

Harper slowly laid his head back on the pillow and tried to keep his neck in one spot while doing so. He succeeded for the most part, but his body was still soaked in sweat from his dream. He could vaguely remember it. He'd been having dreams just like it since he could remember. In the most common one there was a man, a woman, a trader, and a baby and they were on a ship. The dream itself wasn't too unpleasant but the fact that he didn't know any of the people in it had always disturbed him. Now, though, he was too tired to think about it and he fell back to sleep listening to Beka's soft snores, like he had done so many times.


	3. Reminiscing

Beka sat in the Maru's slipstream chair sipping her coffee and taking the sights. She could still be awed by how beautiful space was.

"It never gets old," Dylan said softly as he entered the serene setting. "I've been from one end of the known universe to the other, but I have yet to get over the vast infinity of it all."

Beka smiled and was surprised to find that she was enjoying her time with Dylan. It was actually kind of nice. The stars twinkled before her and she closed her eyes and tried to imagine the end of forever. It was nearly impossible and the thought made her dizzy. She glanced at Dylan as she pried her eyes open and asked, "How is he?"

"Fine," was his reply. "Sleeping peacefully."

"That's good," Beka nodded, satisfied.

There was a bout of silence as the two captains stared out at the dotted carpet of space. Dylan sat down beside Beka and sighed.

"I bet it wasn't always this quiet around here," he said.

Beka couldn't help but laugh, "No, I don't remember a time with the old gang 

when it was _ever_ this quiet."

"Old gang?" Dylan pushed. "I've never really heard about the daring crew of the Eureka Maru and their zealous adventures."

"You don't want to hear about my crew and their crazy escapades."

"Actually yes, I think I do."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin…"

"Why not start with Harper and the story about how he got his port? I know he didn't have it before he joined you."

Beka leaned back in the chair and pushed a stray lock back in place. She swirled her finger around the rim of her cup as she tried to think of how to start.

"Well," she began, "Harper was the most paranoid human being I've ever had the 'pleasure' of knowing. The first couple of months with him were very long. You can imagine what a trip with a kid in space is like, right?"

Seeing Dylan's nod, Beka continued, "Well imagine an exceedingly long trip with a kid, or in this case mudfoot, who's _never_ been in space, or eaten fast food, or been more than a couple miles away from home. I think you get the idea. 

Harper was wound as tight as a spring back then. Being such a newbie made him ignorant and vulnerable. I tried my best to take care of him but sometimes it wasn't enough…

One day, about a month after I'd met him, he disappeared on a drift we were docked at. I'd known him to go to bars and stuff but he'd always come back at night, _always_. So I got worried and went out looking for him. I was pretty surprised when I found him in a dirty hospital with a hack job of a cerebral port cemented into his neck."

Beka paused and rolled her eyes in an attempt to emphasize her displeasure at the sight.

"What happened?" Dylan asked.

"I had to take him to a well known doctor on a classy planet and pay to get the whole procedure re-done. Lets just say I had to take an early vacation, all of which I spent sitting at the bedside of my very sick, drugged, and pain-filled engineer. We got out of there two weeks later and Harper hasn't been to a planet side doctor since. I don't think he left with pleasant memories but at least he hasn't done anything that dumb since.

Rev joined the crew about two years later. Harper had a few, shall we say, problems that we had to work out. Everything went much smoother once he figured out Rev wasn't interested in a Harper sandwich."

Dylan's laugh interrupted her but once it was under control he motioned with his hand for her to continue.

"Vex Pag was one of my other crewmates. He was with us for a year or so. That was before he uh, died from a tear in his EVA suit."

"Harper told me about that," Dylan said. "It must have been terrible."

"It was," Beka went on. "Trance came aboard as his replacement. She filled the spot well and Harper liked her so she's stayed with us ever since. I still have yet to learn anything of true importance about her. She's completely surreptitious.

At any rate, you can see why Harper's always been my favorite. Don't ever tell him that or anyone else though. God only knows he's got a big enough head as it is. You see, Harper's been with me the longest and we know and understand each other. I'd trust him with my life and he trusts me with his."

"You're lucky to have such a special relationship with him," Dylan said as he squeezed her shoulder.

"Yah," Beka replied somewhat dazed, "I guess I am."

"I guess that also means that you can't share any of the funny stories I'm sure you have. It's such a shame…"

"Hey, I said we trust each other with our lives, that doesn't mean I can't bruise his ego a little. Like this one time when we were on a salvage run a little over a year ago, Harper got stuck in the oddest place and he had such a story as to how he got there. It was so unbelievable! Anyway, this is what happened…"


	4. Thy Painful Past

"What's his name?" Connor Zelazny, Harper's father, asked.  
  
"Uh La Lu, er something or other Seamus Harper," the trader said. "You gonna take him?"  
  
Connor nodded as he received the baby in the bundle of blankets. The dirty streets of Earth were barren. Most of the humans had gone into their shacks in fear of bumping into a Nietzchean.  
  
"Alright then Shay," the tall, blonde, handsome man said, reassuring himself as he walked home. "Seamus will do fine. Seamus Zelazny Harper will do just fine."  
  
"Harper!" Seamus' mother's scream startled him awake.  
  
"Harper!" she yelled again.  
  
"Mom?" he called into the darkness. The fear in his mother's voice made him shake. The only time she screamed like that was when there was a Magog attack or a Nietzchean raid.  
  
Harper threw himself out of bed with such momentum he tripped in the sheets. He fell to the ground with a thud but was immediately back up. The shouts had stopped but that only terrified him more.  
  
"Mom?" he tried again as he rounded the corner of the dark hallway. He stumbled to the window and looked out. The sight he was greeted with wasn't pretty. Nietzcheans were running down the streets with torches in their hands, stopping every once in awhile at a house and forcing their way in. Harper gasped as he realized what was going on. The Nietzcheans were taking slaves and he was of age. His eyes widened with the idea of being taken. Twelve years of life and it was going to end with a knock on the door.  
  
Harper was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't hear someone approach from behind until they'd already clamped their hand over his mouth. He tried to scream but his cries were muffled.  
  
"Shh," a familiar voice greeted him, "your mother's at the back door."  
  
Seamus nodded, relived that his father was with him.  
  
"Go," Connor said and pushed his son away.  
  
Harper made it into the hallway but paused and turned back to peek around the wall when he heard the door being broken down.  
  
"You can't have him!" his father yelled as the Nietzcheans entered. Harper froze.  
  
He watched in slow motion as the Nietzcheans cut his father down without a thought. They laughed as the corpse hit the ground soundlessly, but it was this that unstuck Harper's feet. He ran.  
  
As he got to the back door he could see his Mom waiting there. He motioned for her to run because he couldn't seem to find his voice but Bria stopped him before he got to the door. Tears were streaming down his face and his lower lip was trembling.  
  
"Th-th-they," he was trying to tell her the terrible scene he had witnessed but she already knew.  
  
Seeing his mother's nod, Harper felt the need to explain even more. "Laughed," he finally choked out. "They laughed."  
  
Bria's face hardened when she heard a crash from the living room.  
  
"Run," she told her son. "Run and don't look back. I'll be right behind you."  
  
His face paled but he took off. Harper ran faster than he'd ever run before in his life. He briefly wondered if he should stop and wait for his mother but she had told him to go. It was when he heard the gunshot that reality sunk in.  
  
"No," he mumbled as he fell to his knees. "Mom, no."  
  
The weakness only lasted a second before he was up and running again. He needed to survive now. He would have time to feel later. Harper ran until he was deep in the woods and away from the city. He ran until his legs gave out beneath him and he fell to the Earth. It was then, when he was far away, that he broke down.  
  
"Harper," a voice whispered. "Harper, wake-up."  
  
"Harper?" Harper knew that voice. He'd heard it a million times before. Dylan, his mind registered. It was Dylan.  
  
Harper gasped in pain as he awoke.  
  
"Boss?" he mumbled.  
  
"Are you alright?" Dylan asked, frowning. "You were having a fit."  
  
"Just a nightmare."  
  
"Oh."  
  
There was an uneasy silence between the two before Dylan asked, "What was it about?"  
  
"My Mom and Dad.dying. I wish I couldn't remember, but the truth is I could tell you what I ate the day before." Harper didn't know why he'd just told Dylan that but it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.  
  
"How did they die?"  
  
"Nietzcheans," Harper sighed as he got his thoughts in order. "They laughed, Dylan. They laughed when they killed my father. I'll never forget that laugh. It chilled my very being. They, my parents, were t- trying to protect me. They died because of me. You're the only the second person I've ever told that. Beka doesn't even know."  
  
Not knowing what else to say, Dylan asked, "Who as the first?"  
  
"Brendan."  
  
"I don't know if this will make you feel any better but I'm alone too. Everyone I ever knew is dead."  
  
"I've never thought of it that way," Harper said slowly.  
  
"Yah, well Beka just wanted me to tell you that her and I are going to go get those spare parts."  
  
"We're docked?" Harper winced at the pain in his neck as he tried to sit up.  
  
"Yep," Dylan replied as he pushed the engineer back down, "but you're staying right here. Captain's orders."  
  
"Aye aye sire," Harper said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Permission to be bored out of my mind?"  
  
Dylan chuckled and called over his shoulder as he left for command, "Permission granted." 


	5. The Strange Analogy

Staring at the ceiling with nothing to do entertained Harper for exactly 6.2 minutes before he decided to do something. With Beka and Dylan gone he wouldn't have to worry about getting caught out of bed and having to endure their wrath. He slowly eased himself out of bed, being careful not to move his neck around.  
  
Once on his feet, Harper made his way to the bathroom and was unsettled by his reflection. There was a stream of dark, dried blood on the left side of his face. A white bandage was wrapped around his forehead, making his hair stick up funny. His clothes were grease-stained and grubby, and his cerebral port was covered by a circular piece of gauze. Wincing, Harper peeled it away. The port itself looked okay but the area around it was burnt and blistered.  
  
"How big of a surge did I get hit with?" he asked himself in amazement.  
  
Having it uncovered felt surprisingly better though, so Harper tossed the used bandage in the garbage. He took a few painkillers in hope of getting rid of the pounding in his head.  
  
Feeling drained, the engineer made his way to command and plopped himself into the slipstream chair, sparky cola now in hand. The bubbly soda quickly regenerated him and once again the extremely hyper genius was bored.  
  
Deciding to do a few "repairs", Harper went down to engineering and tried to do everything that he could without using his port. He was content with just tinkering until he found a stabilizer on the verge of going bad in the AG generator. For a second he considered just leaving it and going back to bed, but that was impossible for him.  
  
As he stood up he muttered to himself, "Stay here and be bored or go out and do something? Hmm, let's see. Stay here or go out?"  
  
Harper comically stoked the goatee he didn't have as he considered his options. A wide smile spread across his face as he came up with the conclusion.  
  
"Was there ever any question?" he asked no one in particular and left the Maru.  
  
Feeling pretty good, Harper took his time as he searched for a new stabilizer. He was in no hurry because he knew it'd take Beka and Dylan forever to find suitable parts for the Andromeda. It wasn't that there weren't any; it was just that neither of them knew where to look. For a super genius like Harper, it was easy to find some piece of machinery from an old washing machine that could be refitted and remade into a replacement part. Rommie wasn't always happy with the scrap he put in her but she couldn't really complain. Most of the time there was nothing else to use.  
  
Thud, Harper was pushed from behind and the jolt sent tendrils of pain down his neck.  
  
"Oh sorry," a girl in an obvious hurry said as she pushed by Harper. Glancing at him, she paused and turned back around. "Do I know you?"  
  
"Um," Harper was startled by her abruptness, "I dunno."  
  
Way to go Einstein, he thought to himself. You sound real smart now.  
  
"Are you a Pacifis or a Deon?" the stranger questioned.  
  
"Huh?" Harper asked, clueless.  
  
"You're not from here, are you?" she asked as she took in his appearance and perplexed expression.  
  
"Actually no. I'm just getting supplies for my ship."  
  
The girl frowned as she studied Harper with calculating, icy blue, eyes. Her long blonde hair was held up in a messy bun with what looked like 2 silver chopsticks. Harper found the resemblance between the stranger and himself uncanny.  
  
Nodding to herself as if deciding the engineer had passed a test, she held out a hand in greeting, "I'm Ali."  
  
Harper raised an eyebrow at the offered hand but shook it none the less.  
  
"Harper," he said, flashing a smile, "Seamus Harper, genius engineer extraordinare."  
  
Ali gave him a funny look and asked suspiciously, "You're really not from around here?"  
  
"Like I said before," Harper replied, getting slightly annoyed, "no, I'm not."  
  
Ali shrugged as if she sensed his tenseness. She could only imagine what she looked like to this Seamus person.  
  
Black gloves, black boots, black flightsuit, black briefcase. He must think I'm a devil worshipper or something, she thought to herself. Why am I staying and talking to him anyway? I have a lot of work to do.  
  
In truth, his name and his obliviousness with it had bothered her, but not enough to neglect her duties.  
  
"It's just kind of weird," Ali replied, "that's all. Well, I better get going. I need to run some errands before I can fly out of here. I'll see you, uh.Harper."  
  
Harper watched as Ali turned and left. He noticed she carried herself different than the other locals. There was almost a regal air about her. It unnerved him the way he had unsettled her by just saying his name.  
  
"Wait!" Harper called after her as he remembered something she had said, but Ali had already disappeared among the crowds of people bustling about.  
  
"What's kind of weird?" he whispered the unanswered question to himself as he made his way to a parts dealer that would hopefully have the stabilizer he needed. *********** Good/bad? Pleaz review. ( 


	6. Left

"Can you believe our luck?" Beka asked Dylan as they boarded the Maru. "The first place we stop at has all the parts we need and more. This is the first time that's ever happened to me while looking for replacement parts for the Andromeda."  
  
Dylan smiled and said, "Yah, well the Andromeda is a very unique ship."  
  
"Maybe, but it's nothing like the Maru."  
  
"Luckily."  
  
"Hey! For your information that ship of mine has gotten me out of more tight scrapes than I can count. It's happens to be a very sleek ship."  
  
"To each his own, I suppose."  
  
"Oh, you are so dead!" Beka yelled as she lunged playfully at Dylan.  
  
Seeing the attack, Dylan turned and ran, trying to keep from laughing. He made it about five feet before he was tackled and fell to the ground. Beka giggled as moved to get off of him.  
  
"I win," she said with a big smirk on her face.  
  
In one swift motion Dylan was up from his compromising position on the floor and sitting on Beka. She was still laughing. Dylan leaned in so his nose was a few inches from hers and said, "I think I win."  
  
Beka shrugged and couldn't help but notice that Dylan wasn't making an attempt to get off her. He was staring into her eyes, as if in deep thought, and she was surprised how beautiful his eyes were. When he finally started to stand up she felt slightly disappointed.  
  
What is wrong with you Valentine? She thought to herself as she took Dylan's offered hand and he pulled her to her feet. It's just Dylan.  
  
"Do you think we woke him up?" he asked her quietly.  
  
"Who?" Beka questioned.  
  
Dylan looked at her quizzically before replying, "Harper."  
  
"Oh, Harper. I doubt it. He can sleep through practically anything. We better get going though."  
  
"Do you want me to check on him?"  
  
"Nah," Beka said as she sat down to pilot, "he's probably in dreamland and a sleeping Harper is a lot easier to deal with than a bored Harper is. Trust me, I know."  
  
Dylan chuckled and checked some of their key systems while Beka got permission to leave. The Maru was on its way to the planet Hayden. It was the capitol planet of the Salckon system, the one they were in. Hayden was only one of the ten planets but it was well known for its doctors and medical treatment. Although Dylan didn't like getting the Commonwealth mixed up in sovereignties, he didn't plan on interfering with the government.  
  
Harper had been enjoying his little jaunt but he figured it was time to get back to the Maru. The pain in his neck had dulled a little but his splitting headache was still as bad as ever. It had, in fact, been getting worse but Harper had ignored it as he got the stabilizer for the Maru. Now he was at the door to the Maru's dock and happy to be only a few minutes from bed.  
  
Opening the docking door revealed an empty bay. Harper blinked a few times then stepped back out to check the number on the door. It said 42 and the Maru had been in docking bay 42. The only problem was, there was nothing there.  
  
"B-Beka?" Harper yelled as he ventured inside the dark bay. "C'mon boss, this isn't funny. I get it, I'm not suppose to run off but."  
  
A shiver ran down Harper's spine as he broke into a cold sweat. He searched the area or some sort of clue or sign of struggle, but found none.  
  
They left me, he thought to himself. Beka.left.me.  
  
The only way he could find out when the Maru had taken off or possibly where it had gone was if he got to the docking communication center. Ships that came and went were monitored there and given clearance to dock. It was the only hope Harper thought he had and he started for it at a jog. The idea of being cold, hungry, and alone on a strange, dark drift made him pick up the pace. He couldn't believe Beka had left him. There was no way she would have left him unless she hadn't known he wasn't onboard or the ship really had been hijacked.  
  
The pain in Harper's skull throbbed to the beat o his feet as he ran. Looking down at his feet, Harper saw one of his boots was untied. In that moment of distraction, as he was just about to stop to tie his hoe, he ran right into someone. The impact sent him careening to the ground and he landed unceremoniously on his side.  
  
"Watch where you're." an oddly familiar voice started to chastise, but stopped in mid sentence. "Are you following me?"  
  
Harper cracked open an eye he hadn't realized was closed and saw what looked like a shadow. Everything looked a little funny to him and he briefly wondered if he was dreaming.  
  
Great, he mused. I'm in shadow land.  
  
Clearing their throat, the shadow repeated, "I said, are you following me?"  
  
"A-Ali?" Harper asked as he recognized her voice. "Whadda you doin' here?"  
  
Seeing the genuine hurt and confusion on Seamus' face, Ali came to the conclusion that bumping into him had been a coincidence as she offered him a gloved hand.  
  
"Thhanks," Harper slurred as he pulled himself up. "I thhink I mighta hit my head on the wa-way down.  
  
The engineer tripped over an invisible force and his knees collapsed. Ali grabbed him on his way down and managed to keep him from hitting his head again.  
  
"Maru," Harper stuttered and tried to explain his situation before he lost consciousness. "Snuck out. Beka and Dylan. Left, Andromeda! Beka."  
  
The world did a somersault and Harper's eyelids fluttered shut before he could finish the sentence.  
  
Ali keyed her wrist communicator, "Dad, I need a stretcher outside docking bay.87."  
  
"Are you alright?" her father's worried voice echoed from the other end.  
  
"Ya, I'm find. It's a friend of mine.he looks like he's hurt pretty bad."  
  
"Okay sweetheart, I'll be right there with a few guards. Just sit tight. John out."  
  
Ali didn't know why she'd said this man was her friend when they had just met. When she had first seen him there had been this charisma about him. She almost felt as if she should have been welcoming him like a best friend that she hadn't seen in a long time instead of the stranger he was. The blatant use of his last name and his likeness had perturbed her.  
  
With muddled thoughts, Ali sighed as she replied blankly into the vacant comm line, "Princess Alexis.out." 


	7. Brother?

"We're coming up to the planet," Beka said as she flew the Maru toward the blue rock encircled by stars. "Want to go wake up sleeping beauty for me?"  
  
"Sure," Dylan replied and left.  
  
"Mr. Harper," the captain called as he got close to the bunks, "time to rise and sh. Harper?"  
  
The bunk Harper had been in was empty. The blankets were crumpled at the bottom of the bed and the engineer's boots were gone. There was no note or sign of a fight.  
  
"Harper!" Dylan's call echoed through the Maru. "This is not funny! Get out here, now!"  
  
Beka came running when she heard Dylan yelling, "What's going on?"  
  
"He's gone," Dylan said solemnly.  
  
"What do you mean gone? He can't just disappear. The Maru's not that big."  
  
"He's not on the Maru. He must've left after we did. Oh my gawd Beka, we left him." Dylan's accusation sent a jolt through his first officer.  
  
Beka's eyes darted as she frantically searched for her engineer. He was no where in sigh. He would've heard Dylan if he had been anywhere else in the ship, but it wasn't possible. She had promised him she would never leave him but they'd never checked on him before they'd left.  
  
"Dylan, we assumed. We assumed that he'd stay like we had told him to. With Harper you can never assume. I promised him I'd never leave him."  
  
"Shh, Beka, we're going to go back and we're going to find him. Okay?"  
  
Calming herself, Beka managed to nod. She looked at her hands and saw they were shaking ever so slightly. She'd never broken her word or a promise in her life. Her stomach churned at the idea. Am I like Rafe now? She wondered.  
  
"You drive, I'll stay here and look for clues."  
  
Dylan turned and ran to command. He reversed the ship and got it going as fast as the little vessel could. ***  
  
"So who is this fellow?" John asked his daughter as his guars laid the stranger on a bed.  
  
"He's a.friend," she replied.  
  
"Alex, what have I told you about people?! They can't be trusted. I know you're lonely but picking up a hobo on the street isn't the way to go!"  
  
"He's not a hobo!" Ali yelled. She was so sick and tired of her chastising her for things he didn't understand. "He just happens to be an engineer that's not from around here. I think whatever ship he's a crew member of left him behind by accident."  
  
"Or on purpose."  
  
"Dad!"  
  
"Still." John didn't like picking up strangers. It was dangerous. "What's his name?"  
  
Ali giggled nervously, "You know Dad, it's the funniest thing."  
  
A stern look from her father silenced her. The kind sighed, "Do you even know his name?"  
  
"Of course!" Alexis said indignantly. "It's just a little suspicious, is all. His name's Seamus Harper. I just thought it was kind of weird his last name is the same as ours."  
  
Her Dad wasn't hearing a word his daughter was saying. He knew that name like he knew the back of his hand. He'd woken in the middle of the night crying it out.  
  
"Luke?" he whispered to himself. "My baby?"  
  
"Dad?" Alexis questioned. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Seamus Harper, Luke Seamus Harper? Is that who this is?" the king asked frantically.  
  
"All he said was Seamus Harper. He called himself Harper."  
  
"So this could all just be a big coincidence then. But it's too odd. He has to be it."  
  
Ali tuned out her Dad's ramblings. Sometimes when he was struck by "genius" inspiration he had moments like it. She had learned that it was best just to ignore him and let him ride it out.  
  
"Ali," her Dad said as he shook her softly. "Ali, do you know who this could be?"  
  
The princess shook her head and hoped her Dad wasn't involving her in his royal ideas. He got a lot of those. Her father was forever trying to figure out how to turn his system into a democracy but still keep royalty as symbols or governors.  
  
"Back when I was about 22 and still a prince," John began, "the war was just starting and your mother and I made a run for it in our private cruise. We were followed and our engines redlined and were shot all to hell before we could reach safety. A trader happened upon us and came aboard to try and help us, but we knew that if he stayed too long he'd be blown out of the sky as well. We gave him our son in hope that he would survive. His name was Luke, Luke Seamus Harper. The trader left before the Deons got to our ship. We thought they were going to kill us like they had my mother and father, the king and queen, but instead they took us captive for leverage. We were rescued a fw months later by an army of Pacifis soldiers. A few of them are loyal guards to me now. Eight years later, as the war was coming to a close, your mother and I had you. We loved you very much but there was always a hole in our hearts because of what we had lost.our son. We tried to find him, of course, but there were only dead ends. In the end, we gave up."  
  
The silence was heavy. Ali stared at the man she had thought was a stranger. He looked peaceful and innocent as he lay there unconscious.  
  
Brother, the word was hollow in her mind. I have a brother.  
  
She noticed Seamus did share a lot of the family's features. He had her blonde hair and blue eyes, her father's chin, her mother's nose. That was why Ali had been so at ease with him at first. He was her brother. She gasped.  
  
"We'll have to do some DNA tests to be sure, but he looks the right age. Twenty.four, I think. Yah, twenty four years ago. It's too bad you're mother's not alive to see him."  
  
"I can't believe it," Alexis said. "You never told me! How could you not tell me?!"  
  
John smiled meekly and said, "Would you have wanted to know that you had an older brother? One that was probably dead, or at best, lost forever?"  
  
Ali didn't know what to say so John asked, "Will you get me my medical bag? We don't even know if he's going to live yet."  
  
The younger girl tramped off with mixed feelings. She couldn't believe her father had never told her. As she found the large leather bag that held her Dad's medical things her thoughts drifted to Luke, no Seamus, no.Harper. That was what he had said, 'Harper, Seamus Harper.' It was still fresh in her mind. She couldn't imagine how Harper was going to take it. **********  
  
More? You know, I could just stop. hehe. I'd say more in a couple days but my internet's been on the fritz lately but I'll get it written asap. 


	8. The Destined Confluence

"Ali, this is all wrong!" John yelled at his daughter. "I can't believe you got the wrong paperwork!"  
  
"I'm sorry?" she replied as a way to try to ease her dad's temper.  
  
The king huffed and threw the stack of papers that were in his hand in the air, making Ali wince at the shuffling sound.  
  
"Just, go get the right ones this time," John dismissed her.  
  
Ali nodded sharply and left. She felt incredibly stupid. Her dad, no, the king, had entrusted her with something and she'd blown it.  
  
"I'm a terrible politician," she mumbled to herself as she made her way to the drift's main government center. ***  
  
John crept into Harper's quarters, being careful not to wake him. Running the medical scanner over the blonde boy in the bed, he found that the readings were the same: a concussion, burnt neck, and damaged port. John had already called a cerebral port specialist. He was the highest rated neurosurgeon in the system and would be arriving at Salko Drift within the day.  
  
"Oh Luke," the king started softly, "I'm so sorry."  
  
There was no doubt in the older man's mind that the small figure in front of him was his son. It was fate. It had to be. They had searched fruitlessly for years and now his own daughter had just happened upon a stranger with the same middle and last name as his lost son. It would take a day for the DNA test to process but he was positive it was Luke.  
  
A small groan pulled John from his reverie. He tried vainly to remember what Ali had said his son had called himself.  
  
"Harper?" the king questioned, hoping his guess was right.  
  
"Dylan?" was the barely audible reply.  
  
"Um, no. I'm John H-. I'm an M.D. My daughter found you by the docking bay."  
  
Harper struggled to open his eyes. The voice he heard wasn't familiar and it was confusing. His head pounded but he didn't feel like he was going to throw up from the pain anymore. His neck was a different story, so he tried to remain relatively still.  
  
"Lights fifty percent," the strange voice ordered.  
  
"Th-thanks," Harper said when he could see without wincing. "Who are you?"  
  
The king smiled slightly at the question he had already answered and replied, "I'm John, Ali's dad. She said you passed out by the docking bay. I'm a doctor."  
  
The information sunk in and Harper sat up in a hurry. The world spun around and he ended up falling back on the pillow, white dots dancing before his eyes.  
  
"Be careful," John said, "you have a pretty nasty head injury."  
  
"Beka and Dylan," Harper stated frantically. "They'll be worried sick about me when they find out I'm not onboard. They must not have checked to make sure I was still on the ship when they left. I was supposed to stay in bed but I figured a little exploring couldn't hurt. We needed a stabilizer, so I thought I could get one and surprise 'em when they came back."  
  
"I see." John said.  
  
"I have to find them," Harper slurred as he tried to get up again.  
  
John softly pushed him back down, "Don't worry. I'll send some of my me-, friends to the comm center. When."  
  
"Dylan Hunt and Beka Valentine," Harper offered.  
  
The king nodded as he pressed a button on his communicator and spoke into it, "I need a team at the comm center. When a Dylan Hunt and Beka Valentine call in, direct them to the docking bay nearest my ship and personally escort them here. John out."  
  
"Wow. Do you body guards or something?"  
  
John chuckled at the accurate description and lied, "Just a few close memebers of my crew."  
  
"Gotcha."  
  
For a second, John was torn between telling Harper his suspicions right at that moment or never at all. He decided to wait, but worried that his "son" had people that cared a great deal about him.  
  
Harper was slightly unnerved at the way the man was staring at him and indignantly asked, "What?"  
  
"John grinned, "Nothing. Just.thinking."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You should rest."  
  
"That actually sounds like a pretty good idea."  
  
If Beka had heard Harper say that she would've been extremely worried at the uncharacteristic submission. John, however, just left.  
  
"Lights off," he muttered right before he passed through the door.  
  
The room's luminescence flickered once and went out, leaving the dead tired engineer in the dark. 


	9. We’re Back

"If he's hurt I'm holding you responsible," Beka stated as the Eureka Maru approached Salko Drift.  
  
"What? I didn't do anything!" Dylan said, clearly confused.  
  
"Exactly. That's why it's your fault."  
  
Dylan blinked and shook his head slightly before asking, "How is this my-"  
  
"Please state your name and business," a voice over the comm unit interrupted.  
  
"This is Dylan Hunt and Beka Valentine on the Eureka Maru, requesting permission to dock. Our business is.official."  
  
"Yeah right," Beka scoffed, "like they're gonna buy that 'official' bull."  
  
There was an extended amount of silence over the communication line before a different voice answered, "Very well Eureka Maru, you're clear to put down in docking bay 105. An escort will be awaiting you there."  
  
"Escort?" Dylan frowned. "Why is there an escort?"  
  
"Good going," Beka said sarcastically. "Way to be official."  
  
Dylan sighed and asked good naturedly, "You're not still blaming me for leaving Harper behind, are you?"  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
"Uh-huh and who's the one that flew the Maru out exactly?"  
  
"You," Beka pointed her finger, feigning anger as she tried to think of a comeback, "shut-up!"  
  
Dylan just smiled; glad Beka wasn't worried out of her mind. His whole crew was important to him and didn't like to see any of them sad or hurt.  
  
Especially Beka, he thought to himself as he the Maru touched down. Why did I just think that?  
  
Shaking his head, he undid his safety harness and followed his first officer out the airlock.  
  
"Beka Valentine," one of five armed men in blacked addressed the occupants of the Maru as they exited their ship, "and Dylan Hunt. Follow us please."  
  
The pair looked around for any other way out but their odds weren't looking too good. They were outnumbered and outgunned. In other words, they did the Nietzschean thing and sat back and waited as their captors directed them to the corridor outside their docking bay.  
  
"If I may ask, what did we do?" Dylan asked the man who had spoken earlier.  
  
"Your presence has been requested. We are only here to escort you."  
  
Dylan nodded curtly, thankful for the interaction.  
  
The group of seven walked in silence until they came to an unmarked docking bay. Keeping their eyes open for a trap, Beka and Dylan entered it upon their escorts' insistence. The private cruiser docked there was magnificent. It was a bright shade of silver and by appearance alone you could tell it was a very sleek ship. Dylan and Beka were taken inside and told to stay and wait in a small living room-like area. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior. There were silk curtains, gems that decorated the upholstery, and many other expensive materials present.  
  
"They didn't lock us in," Beka commented as she took a seat on the couch.  
  
"No.they didn't," Dylan said as he sat down beside her. "I get the feeling we're guests, not captives."  
  
"Well if we're their guests," Beka grumbled and massaged her sore arm; "they weren't very hospitable hosts."  
  
"And for that I personally apologize," a man said as he stepped into the room. "I didn't inform my, uh, colleagues of the situation before hand. They more than likely assumed you were some out of system politicians."  
  
Dylan stood and walked over to the stranger, trying to decide whether or not the well-dressed man was friend or foe.  
  
"I'm John," the king said once he saw Dylan's uncertain gaze. Although he wanted their trust, he didn't want to tell them his true identity yet.  
  
"I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant," Dylan said and motioned to Beka who also stood and walked over. "This is my first officer, Beka Valentine."  
  
"Ah yes," John said as he shook both of their hands, "I believe I may have your engineer."  
  
"Harper?" Beka asked immediately.  
  
"Seamus Harper." John replied.  
  
"Yes, that him. Where is he?"  
  
John raised one of his hands in order to quiet Beka, "He's resting. I called in a favor so this system's top neurosurgeon is working on his port."  
  
"I want to see him."  
  
"You can as soon as the doctor's done. I assure you, he's fine. The concussion was the only thing even close to serious."  
  
Beka didn't seem very convinced but she took her spot on the couch. She was glad he was okay but she still felt guilty for leaving him and wanted to see him with her own eyes.  
  
A few minutes later a tall man with short brown hair walked through the door. It was obvious he was the doctor but Beka eyed him warily, still not trusting John or anyone else on the ship. Dylan, however, stood along with his new host.  
  
"How is he Derrick?" John asked, true concern laced with his words.  
  
"He's going to be fine," Derrick answered. "I performed a rather simple procedure and he can get up in a few days, but be sure the port isn't used for at least two weeks. The anesthesia should wear off in an hour or so."  
  
"Thank-you," Dylan finally spoke.  
  
"You're welcome," the surgeon replied as he turned to leave. "Just remember, bed rest for at least three days and two weeks before he can use his port."  
  
"See Brady on your way out," the king called after Derrick, "and have a safe trip back."  
  
"Now," John asked as he redirected his attention, "do you want to see your friend?"  
  
He didn't wait for their replies before leaving for Harper's room. John was just as eager to see the young man as his crewmates were.  
  
"Sir!" one of John's new recruits yelled as he chased after the king. "Sir, I have those test results you requested."  
  
This brought John to a halt and he noticed he was very close to Harper's quarters.  
  
"Your friend is in room 25," he told Dylan and Beka as he pointed to a room a few meters ahead. "Go on in, I'll be there in a minute."  
  
"Sir," the kid huffed as he came to a stop beside John, "the results."  
  
"Thanks," John replied as he took the flexi and picked his memory for a name to go with the face of his deliverer, ".Toby."  
  
"You're welcome sir," the kid was beaming as he walked away and John heaved a mental sigh. He hated it when he couldn't remember his own people's names, even if they were new.  
  
John stared at the flexi suspiciously before he turned it on. The information from the blood test stared him in the face. There was no denying it. 


	10. DNA

"Dad?" Ali asked as she entered her father's dark quarters.  
  
"Oh Ali," a voice came from nowhere, "did you get the right paperwork this time?"  
  
The princess felt her face get hot and was glad the room was pitch black so her father couldn't see her momentary weakness. She didn't know why her Dad had all the lights off but her eyes were slowly adjusting. She could make out the outline of a form sitting behind a desk and figured it was John. Ali squinted and walked to it slowly so as not to run into a table and ruin anything expensive.  
  
"Um.yah. It wasn't that hard. Dad, uh.what are you doing?"  
  
"I'm sitting in the dark."  
  
No shit, Ali bit back the retort and said instead, "Why?"  
  
"Because," her father enunciated slowly, "I need to think."  
  
Alexis sat the paperwork she'd recovered on the king's desk. The room's extreme spacious beauty was lost in the dark. The antique Persian rugs and old-fashioned oak furniture were all just shadows.  
  
It could just as easily be a closet, Ali thought to herself as she turned the desk light on, hoping to annoy her father. I'd rather it was a closet.  
  
"Alex," John started but corrected himself when he saw his daughter's angry look, "Ali. The DNA results came back."  
  
Nodding, the princess waited for her father to continue. She hoped Harper was her brother because then she wouldn't have to rule.  
  
"I had it checked and rechecked, but the results remain the same. Seamus Harper is really Luke. He's your brother.and my son."  
  
Ali sunk into one of the plush chairs in front of the desk. The small light cast an eerie glow on her father's face. It made it look haunted and his eyes tired. She wondered if it was all because of the light.  
  
"I almost wish he was a stranger," John said as he rubbed his brow. "It'd be better.for him."  
  
"A-are you going to tell him?" Ali questioned quietly.  
  
"Not right away. His crewmembers are here and he's still healing."  
  
"His crewmembers?"  
  
"Yes, a Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda and his first officer, Beka Valentine."  
  
"Andromeda? As in Andromeda Ascendant?"  
  
"I do believe that's what I was told."  
  
"Dad, Dylan Hunt? Commonwealth? That doesn't ring any bells?"  
  
John frowned, "No."  
  
"Oh my god, Dad! This could be your chance to fix the tension between the Deons and the Pacifis! If you join the Commonwealth we'd have a reason to switch to a democracy and keep royalty as a symbol!"  
  
"Commonwealth? What are you talking about? I thought it fell years ago."  
  
"It's being restored and if you play your cards right you could join," Ali stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Just promise me you'll consider it. There must be something to it if you own son's helping."  
  
Mentioning Luke was enough for John. He bit his lip but nodded in agreement. Ali hugged him and made her way for the door, glad she knew his new weak spot.  
  
"You won't regret it," she said as she walked out. "I promise!"  
  
"Now where have I heard that before?" John asked himself as he turned his desk light back off. ***  
  
Harper came to with an inaudible groan. His head ached and his neck felt rubbery. Cracking his eyes open, Harper suddenly remembered where he was and sat up with a start. He blinked back the dots that swam in front of his eyes and was surprised to see Dylan asleep in a chair by his bed. Harper was going to wake him up but he stopped and let his hand linger before dropping it back onto the bed. He figured Dylan must really need some rest if he'd fallen asleep on sick sentry duty. Slowly and carefully he pulled himself off the bed and to the bathroom.  
  
Dylan awoke to the sound of a flushing toilet. He stood and stretched before his brain made the connection and realized Harper was up.  
  
"Harper," Dylan greeted his engineer as he came out of the bathroom.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Harper croaked.  
  
"Beka and I came back and found you. The whole thing was a total accident. We didn't know you weren't onboard and we didn't check before taking off. It's my fault. I'm so sorry."  
  
"Beka?" Harper asked, not caring about the reasons why he'd been left.  
  
"Yah, she went to take a nap."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Dylan chuckled as he gripped Harper's shoulders and led him back to bed.  
  
"You should rest, but I'll go find her if you want."  
  
"I feel fine," Harper insisted and attempted to leave but Dylan stopped him.  
  
"Just stay here while I get Beka, okay?"  
  
Harper didn't have the energy to keep disagreeing so he sat down on the edge of the bed. He waited for Dylan to leave before wincing in pain and lying back down. ***  
  
"Beka?" Dylan inquired as he entered the kitchen, the third room he'd been in in the past ten minutes.  
  
"Over here," was the muffled reply.  
  
Dylan turned the corner and had to stifle back a laugh at the sight. Beka was dressed in a white tank top and pink heart boxers as she dug through the fridge on her hands and knees.  
  
"I can't find the stupid coffee!" she yelled as she stood up and slammed the door. Running a hand through her short hair, Beka leaned against the closed fridge and crossed her arms.  
  
"I think it's um, over on the stove. Right behind you."  
  
Dylan indicated the location he was talking about with his head. Beka turned and saw the can of coffee a few feet away. She blushed and grabbed the canister, all of a sudden becoming very aware of what she had on.  
  
"Thanks," Beka said as she tried to unscrew the lid. "I just woke up and I guess my brain hasn't switched on yet."  
  
Dylan gave her a goofy grin before breaking the news, "Guess who's awake."  
  
Beka abruptly stopped struggling with her coffee lid and asked, "Harper?"  
  
"Uh-huh. The first thing he wants to know is where you are."  
  
"Well then, why are you just standing there? Get moving!"  
  
Dylan did just that and ran smack into Ali as he moved to leave the kitchen.  
  
Why is it starting to seem like I meet new people by knocking them on their asses? Ali asked herself as she got up.  
  
"I'm sorry, uh." Dylan trailed off, clueless as to who the girl was in front of him.  
  
"Alexis," the princess replied. "I'm John's daughter. You can call me Ali."  
  
"I'm Dylan," the Captain replied, "and this is-"  
  
"Beka, yah I know. I've heard of your Commonwealth quest and I must say, I'm impressed."  
  
Dylan smiled and started walking away with Beka right behind him. Ali jogged to catch up, not oblivious to the attempted brush off. She could have both of them arrested for not paying proper respect, but Ali always liked being treated like a normal person and interacting.  
  
"Dylan, I know you're in a rush to go see your crewman but I just want to ask you something."  
  
Beka raised an eyebrow skeptically but the Andromeda's captain stopped and waited for Ali to continue.  
  
"Your Commonwealth, it's interesting. I'm just curious, can any planet join?"  
  
"Yes," Dylan replied and glanced at Beka, "why?"  
  
Ali smiled diplomatically before lying, "Some rumors are circulating. One says that only a democratic planet can join. Is that true?"  
  
"The Commonwealth is a democracy, if that's what you mean. Any planet can join but its government has to conform to our policies, which means democracy."  
  
"Thank-you for your time Captain Hunt," Ali said politely and started walking away in the opposite direction, but stopped short. "Oh, and uh, next time you see my father, bring up these 'policies' of yours with him. I think he'll be very interested in them."  
  
Beka and Dylan looked at each other in confusion and shrugged. Once they got their bearings back they continued on to Harper's room, wondering about the strange encounter. 


	11. Hey

When Beka and Dylan entered Harper's room they were surprised to see him laying in bed like he was supposed to be. They began tip toeing towards the bed when Harper's voice stopped them.  
  
"You don't have to try to be quiet. I'm awake."  
  
"Hey squirt," Beka said softly as she climbed into bed with Harper, being careful not to jostle him. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him towards her. Once they were settled she asked in good humor, "Do my eyes deceive me or are you actually resting like you're supposed to be?"  
  
Harper chuckled as Beka ran her free hand through his hair. Any other time he'd complain or push her away but he just didn't have the energy and the added presence was comforting. Seeing how utterly exhausted Harper was, Beka wondered if she was going to have to continue a one-sided conversation. She grinned when Dylan sat down on the edge of the bed. Beka knew how worried he was and she was genuinely glad for his support.  
  
"Can you open your eyes?" she coaxed in a whisper.  
  
Harper did, blinking several times before turning his head to look at Beka. She smiled for him and ruffled his hair again, earning a groan in protest. The engineer lifted his head and nestled it in the crook of her arm like he used to do when she'd stay with him after a terrible nightmare.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Dylan asked with concern.  
  
Harper glanced at Dylan before he closed his eyes again and replied, "I dunno. My head kinda hurts but it feels really light. My neck is.weird. I can't really feel it. It's like it's numb."  
  
"I'm okay, right?" he asked quickly and straight up.  
  
The engineer's head swayed slightly and Beka pulled him back down before he could pass out. Harper, however, was suddenly very awake.  
  
"You're fine," Dylan assured him.  
  
"Then why do I feel so funny?" Harper asked softly. The sudden burst of energy had drained him.  
  
"You had surgery on your port earlier today," Beka answered. "You can blame the numbness on the local they used. I'm sure it'll wear off in a few hours."  
  
"Surgery?" he mumbled in question as he slipped from the conscious world.  
  
"Ya, but you're fine," she reassured him. "You're just fine."  
  
Beka brushed her hand against Harper's cheek. It was a sign of affection but it was also a way for her to determine whether or not he had a fever. His skin was clammy but cool and Beka rested her chin lightly on his head while listening for his breathing even.  
  
After a few minutes went by, Dylan asked in a whisper, "Is he asleep?"  
  
"Out like a light," Was the tired answer. "I think I'm just going to sleep here."  
  
Dylan nodded and demanded his stiff body get up. He wasn't going to deny the immense exhaustion he felt. He wanted nothing more than to sleep. The stress and worry had done a number on his mental and physical well being.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea," he told Beka, then added when he saw her questioning look, "Sleep. I mean sleep. Not here, in my room. In my own room."  
  
Beka smiled at Dylan's sudden boyish embarrassment.  
  
"Of course," she said. "I'll wake you if there's any change."  
  
"Thanks," Dylan said while he retreated towards the door. "I'd appreciate you, uh, it. I'd appreciate it."  
  
Once Dylan had disappeared from view Beka broke into laughter. She quickly quieted herself when she felt Harper stir but the picture of Dylan and his red cheeks kept appearing in her mind. She closed her and relaxed against the pillow behind her head, still smiling to herself. Harper's content sigh was the last thing Beka heard before she floated into dreamland. 


	12. The Commonwealth

Dylan walked into the kitchen after awakening from a short nap. He was surprised to see their host munching on what appeared to be a bagel. Although it looked good, Dylan just wanted a warm cup of coffee.  
  
"Dylan," John addressed the starship captain.  
  
"John," Dylan replied politely.  
  
"That coffee," the king indicated the brown liquid Dylan was pouring, "is decaf."  
  
Dylan sighed and dumped the cup out in a nearby sink. He pulled chair up and sat. The stress was evident on his face.  
  
"How's your friend?" John asked.  
  
"He was awake for awhile but he fell asleep. Beka's with him."  
  
"I'm glad he's okay."  
  
"Yah, about that. How much do I owe you in medical fees?"  
  
John smiled, "It was nothing."  
  
"W-what?" Dylan was taken aback. At the least, he had expected to reimburse John.  
  
"It's payment enough to be graced by the presence of such nice and honest people."  
  
"Mr." Dylan trailed off when he realized that John had never told him his last name.  
  
"Har, Ha, Hawkings." John lied.  
  
"Mr. Hawkings, paying for my chief engineer's medical care is the least I can do especially after you've been so hospitable to us."  
  
"Captain, I'm. Who, exactly, do you think I am?"  
  
"A diplomat? Someone who inherited some cash?"  
  
"Close," John answered solemnly, "but not exactly accurate. Dylan, you do know that this system is a sovereignty?"  
  
Dylan nodded. He was more than a little confused.  
  
John continued, "Well, I am the king of this system and my daughter has been telling me about your Commonwealth. She's very interested in it and I must say it intrigues me. As a matter of fact, I think I may want to join."  
  
Dylan's eyes were wide and his mouth hung down. He had not been expecting that.  
  
"Now I know it's somewhat of a democracy but I've actually been looking for an excuse.a reason, to change our form of government. I was thinking that it could be my last act as king. We have the fifth largest fleet in the known worlds and many different resources. We would be a good addition."  
  
"Yes," Dylan replied, still a little shocked. "You would be an excellent addition."  
  
John dug a pen out of his pocket and clicked it on, making his point very clear. Ali had been pushing him to do this and she'd finally given him good reason to.  
  
"You know as well as I do that Luke, Harper, whatever his name is, is never going to accept his inherited role as king. I'm not fit to rule a whole system and unless you p.an on getting married and having another kid soon, I think this is your only option. It's the best thing for you, me and Harper."  
  
"You could do it."  
  
"Maybe, but I really don't want to. I want to be able to pursue my own interests and dreams like Harper's doing now."  
  
The king blinked away the image of his teenage daughter and the conversation they had had earlier.  
  
More like debate, John thought to himself. Regardless of what she may think, she'd make a very good queen.or a salesperson. I really hope she doesn't want to be the latter.  
  
John didn't want to prevent Ali from being who she wanted to be. He didn't even have any idea what field she wanted to go into.  
  
I'm a bad father, but that's going to change soon. This Commonwealth thing is looking better and better.  
  
"Where do I sign?" he asked Dylan. 


	13. Who Am I?

A few days after the signing, John invited his new friends to a dinner that would give them "a taste of the real Salckon System". The king's servants had prepared a mighty feast and the decor of the dining room was exquisite. A long walnut wood table, surrounded by matching padded chairs, had a huge chandelier made of diamonds and emeralds hung over it. The tableware was pure crystal and the silverware was decorated with priceless gems. Although the richness of the room didn't surprise Dylan and Beka, Harper was awestruck.  
  
"Wow!" was the word that escaped the engineer's lips as he surveyed the dining hall.  
  
"Check it out. Man..."  
  
"Pretty snazzy," Beka agreed and took a seat between Harper and Dylan.  
  
The three sat in silence, waiting for John to join them. They were startled when three men dressed in white walked in carrying trays of delicious food. Plates of delicacies, deserts, and appetizers were placed in particular spots on the table.  
  
"Excuse me sir," Dylan asked the youngest of the three chefs, "do you happen to know where John is and if he'll be joining us anytime soon?"  
  
"The king will be with you in cue time," the man replied curtly. "He and his daughter are handling a very important matter."  
  
Dylan sighed inwardly as he thanked the chef. He hated it when important figures stood him up. On the other hand, Harper and Beka seemed to be enjoying themselves. They had already filled their plates full and stated in on playful banter. The meal went on for about ten minutes before John finally arrived, dressed in purple robes. He looked haggard and worn and Ali seemed to be giving him emotional support.  
  
John and Ali both took their seats and the king took a deep breath before beginning, "I didn't hold this dinner for fun. In fact, there's a very important...matter I wish to discuss which happens to do with one of you."  
  
Beka sat back in her chair while Dylan crossed his fingers, hoping John wasn't going to back out of the Commonwealth deal. Harper took it all in while sipping some wine and nibbling on crackers.  
  
John continued somberly, "Twenty-four years ago a civil war broke out between the people of this system in favor democracy, the Deons, and people against it, the Pacifis. My mother and father, the king and queen at that time, fled in fear of their safety. Their ship was destroyed before it ever left Hayden's atmosphere. It was the diversion it made that allowed my wife and I to reach our own ship and take off. I was twenty-six at the time and Lily, my wife, was twenty-four. We'd just had our first child...a son, only months before. His name was Luke, after my grandfather... Anyway, we soon realized we weren't going to make it out of the system before being intercepted so we hailed a nearby trader ship. They docked with us and we....we gave our son to the captain. He agreed to take him to his next destination and give him to a good family.... Well, Lily and I were captured and she survived another four years before the Deons killed her. Luckily, we had already had Ali. I know you probably think that I'm just telling you all this out of sport, but I'm not. The truth is that trader's next stop just happened to be Earth..." John stopped for a moment in order to study Harper's face. It was blank and void of any expression but the twenty-four year old's hands were shaking.  
  
"When Ali met you Harper, she remembered your face not only because of the familiarity, but also because you and her share the same last name...and blood." Beka gasped and Dylan's eyes went wide. They both snapped their heads to Harper who was staring intently at John, trying to read his face.  
  
"You see Harper, your real name is Luke. That trader accidentally mixed up your middle name with your first name."  
  
"That's not true!" Harper yelled, reacting in anger.  
  
"I can't imagine how much you wish that," John said soothingly, "but we took a DNA test...so we'd be sure, and you are my son. Luke."  
  
"Don't call me that!" Harper continued his outburst by knocking over his chair and running out of the room.  
  
Beka followed him and Dylan, Ali, and John just stared.  
  
"Harper?" Beka called out quietly as she entered his temporary quarters.  
  
"What?" He snapped in reply, his face smothered in pillows.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Duh Valentine, Beka thought to herself, stupid question. Would you be okay?  
  
"What do you think? I'm just peachy now leave me alone!"  
  
Beka would've if his voice had seemed more convincing. Living with Harper for over four years had taught her a lot. If he wanted you to leave he gave you the silent treatment and if he wanted to be comforted he told you to go away. When he was sad he yelled and when he was mad he cried. It was all very confusing at first but Beka had gotten used to it over the years. She figured his screwed up ways of dealing with emotions originated mostly from the hellhole he'd left. It took him two years before he even could cry. Beka continued to look at Harper, his prone figure lying on the bed, the years of wear etched into his feature and her instincts told her to stay.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" The first officer asked.  
  
"No."  
  
Beka ran her hand through his hair and waited for him to spill it.  
  
"It's just," He started, "if all of this is true... All I am and all I ever was is a lie. My whole life is a lie. I don't even know who I am. Do you know how scary that is?"  
  
"I can't even imagine..." Beka said as a means of prompting him to say more.  
  
"My parents weren't even my real parents and the worst part is that they knew. They knew and they never told me and," he choked back sobs, "and they- they gave their lives up for me. After all that and all...all we went through... How could I... How could I be..."  
  
"Adopted?" Beka answered for him as a means of sparing him from the pain.  
  
It was unsuccessful attempt on Beka's part because Harper broke down in tears, angry with John, at the world, and at anyone in his life. Beka just held him as he thrashed about and she rubbed his back in calming circles. For the first time in a long time, Seamus Harper cried himself to sleep. 


	14. But I Don't

As Harper awoke a tingling sensation ran down his spine. He kept his eyes shut and didn't dare to move. Every time he'd gotten that feeling someone unfamiliar had been watching him, and he'd bet anything someone was watching him now. He waited for a minute and the eerie feeling didn't pass so the young engineer took a deep breath, as if he was sighing and balled his right hand into a fist. Then, pretending to stretch, he pushed the sheets off with his left hand and swung. He connected...hard and the person he hit fell to the ground with thud. Only then did Harper open his eyes. His mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide when he saw who he'd hit.  
  
"Sir, I am so sorry!" He yelled as he bolted out of bed and helped the king up from the ground.  
  
"Oh," John replied nasally, "that's alright. I shouldn't have scared you like that." Harper sat back down on the bed and John positioned himself next to his newly found son. John was extremely happy but he could also see the sadness reflected in Harper's eyes, and the clouded over expression the engineer wore.  
  
"Look," the king started, "you have a few choices here. Number one, you can stay here and become a symbol, like I soon will, when this Commonwealth thing takes affect. Number two, you can accept your new role and title but leave with your friends. Or...number three, you can deny your birthright and leave so Ali and I will never see you again. Either way, I want you to know that you'll always be royalty by blood and most importantly, you'll always be my son."  
  
Harper flinched and said coldly, as he tried to ignore the blood trickling from John's nose, "I don't even know you."  
  
How dare you call yourself my father? Was on the tip of his tongue but he didn't want to say, since John seemed like sincere person and it would break his heart. The man in front of him was full of love and Harper could see the want of approval on his face and expression. The hope was staring him in the face, and it made his resolve weaken. "I couldn't live here," Harper stated as he looked his father straight in the eyes, "but I could visit. I could never be a king but I could wear the title. And I guess I could get used to this whole sister thing..."  
  
Jonathon Harper smiled and his face creased with happiness and relief. He was sure his son was going to turn away from him and run in the other direction, but he hadn't. Instead, the blonde boy was staring at him hopefully and a bit apprehensively. "That," John said slowly, "would be great."  
  
Harper grinned, "Just on more thing..."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Don't call me Luke. That may be who I was, but that's not who I am."  
  
"Okay...Seamus," John said as he rolled the mane around on his tongue.  
  
"It's just Harper."  
  
"Okay. Harper it is. I never liked your middle name much anyway. It was your mother's idea."  
  
Harper frowned for a second as he remembered the mother he recalled. She'd loved his name even though his father, the father he had thought was his own, had teased him for it. "Actually," Harper continued, "call me Shay."  
  
John's eyes widened at the gap they had just breached and the openness his son was showing.  
  
"Thank-you Shay," John smiled again from ear to ear and hopped up off the bed. "I'm going to go make the announcement."  
  
Harper looked quizzically at John as the king ran out of his room like a love-drunken schoolboy.  
  
Why did I just do that? Harper thought to himself as he lay back down to go to sleep. It was, after all, only eight in the morning.  
  
"People of Salckon..." John broadcasted the message over holovid on all the main news stations. "My son has returned..." 


	15. Homecoming

"I'm going to miss you," Ali said sadly as she hugged Harper good-bye. He'd slowly eased himself into the family in the past week, but his awkwardness often showed. At the moment he was blushing in the embrace of his new sister who he'd once thought was a babe.  
  
"I'll, uh, miss you too," Harper replied as he stepped back. "But I'm coming back so it's not like you're never going to see me again."  
  
Ali smiled sadly and kissed Harper on the cheek before she turned and walked away.  
  
"Shay." John trailed off as he held Harper's shoulders. Dylan and Beka had gone into the Maru in order to give Harper some privacy.  
  
"John," Harper replied. He hadn't been able to bring himself to call the king Dad and he really didn't want to. The man he remembered as his father had died protecting him and he wanted to preserve that memory.  
  
"I just wanted to say thanks.for everything," the engineer spoke softly.  
  
John nodded, "I had this whole speech planned out but. Look, I know this whole situation has been.difficult for you, but I want to thank you too."  
  
Harper grinned crookedly while John continued, "I want to give you something to remind you of who you are, in case.well, it's just.here."  
  
John dug a ring out of his breast pocket and handed it to Harper, who examined it in his hand. It was a gold ring with a large red ruby in the middle and two diamonds on each side.  
  
"It was my father's favorite ring and now I want you to have it. Red is the symbol of Salckon royalty and I guess the two diamonds represent Ali and I."  
  
"It's." Harper stuttered in amazement, "it's priceless. How could you give me something like this?"  
  
"Because someone I thought I'd lost forever came back from the dead, and I want this person to remember me."  
  
At this, Harper frowned and said, "I'll see you again."  
  
John replied solemnly, "Just.don't forget me."  
  
"I won't. I promise."  
  
With that, Harper pocketed the ring, hugged John and said his last good- byes. Harper walked up to the Maru and waved before going in and closing the door. The ship took off and disappeared into space, leaving John and Ali alone with the challenge of getting the Commonwealth integrated into their system.  
  
"I'll miss him."  
  
"I know."  
  
The Eureka Maru exited slipstream. There was only one more jump before they reached the Andromeda.  
  
"Ya know," Harper began as he talked to Dylan, "I admire you."  
  
"Really?" Dylan asked, obviously surprised and slightly disturbed.  
  
"Yah. I could never buckle down and be a politician."  
  
"I'm not a politician," the captain said indignantly, "I'm a soldier."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Dylan frowned and exited the kitchen, leaving Harper alone. The engineer poured himself a bowl of cereal and ate. Long minutes passed in peace and all of a sudden shrieking alarms shattered the silence.  
  
"Dylan! Beka! We've got a problem!" Harper cried out as he ran to the helm. When he got there his eyes went wide. Hundreds of Magog swarmships and Nietzschean battlecruisers were speeding around in space. Harper could hear the ships grab hold and the aliens begin to board and all the color drained from his face.  
  
"B-Beka?! D-D-Dylan?!" His voice shook as he spoke, betraying his fear.  
  
This is not happening! Harper thought madly to himself. Beka and Dylan wouldn't leave me. They couldn't.  
  
An incessant thudding seemed to echo throughout the Maru's corridors. Harper closed his eyes against the sound as he turned around to face whatever evil would come. He didn't open his eyes but he braced himself against the blows he was sure he would receive. The thudding continued to sound in his ears and he realized with a start that it was his own heart beating. He clung to that sound as his world erupted around him.  
  
Thud thud.thud thud.thud thud.thud.thud..thud...thud........ 


	16. Wha?

"No!" Harper screamed into the silence, and was shocked when he felt arms grab him and hold him.  
  
"It's okay, it's going to be okay. You're okay."  
  
Harper recognized Beka's voice as he opened his eyes and saw her and Dylan on his left side. He was lying in med deck and his skull was throbbing. He reached up and lightly felt a bandage across his head.  
  
"W-Where'd you guys go when the Magog and Nietzscheans came? How-How'd you get us out of there?"  
  
Dylan and Beka exchanged odd looks at Harper's questions.  
  
"What are you talking about?" the blonde first officer asked.  
  
"On the way back from the Salckon System.when.what?"  
  
"Harper we never went anywhere."  
  
"Andromeda," Harper heard Dylan's voice try to whisper, "get Trance down here."  
  
"But." the engineer frowned as his mind tried to comprehend it all.  
  
"Harper you had an accident on the Maru," Beka explained. "You hit your head and suffered a concussion, a rather severe one according to Trance. You've been out cold for the past four days."  
  
"We were worried," Dylan said as he fixed Harper's bandage. "We still are."  
  
"I." Harper was at a loss for words. "I had the oddest dream. It seemed so real. I-I was the prince of a star system that agreed to join the Commonwealth. I even had a sister."  
  
"You? A prince" Beka asked as she tried not to giggle. "Only in your mind."  
  
It was then that Trance entered and kicked Beka and Dylan out, saying that Harper needed his rest. She made sure the engineer was okay and let him out of med bay a week later after much begging and pleading.  
  
Harper sat in front of a console now, trying to figure out why Andromeda had been slurring lately. He adjusted a few things and reached into his pocket for a hook-up. His fingers fumbled around until they grabbed something small and circular. Harper's brow furrowed as he pulled a gold ring out of his pocket. It had a ruby with a diamond on each side and Harper stood perplexed as it sparkled in the light.  
  
"Weird." He mumbled. "Was it real?"  
  
"It was my father's favorite ring and now I want you to have it. Red is the symbol of Salckon royalty and I guess the two diamonds represent Ali and I."  
  
"It's.it's priceless. How could you give me something like this?"  
  
"Because someone I thought I'd lost forever came back from the dead, and I want this person to remember me."  
  
"I'll see you again."  
  
"Just.don't forget me."  
  
"I won't. I promise."  
  
Harper had had Rommie check her records over and over again and the only thing they had found about the Salckon System was a stupid legend that said it had had an encounter with the Vedrans and been cut off from the slipstream during a civil war.  
  
Seamus Harper stared dumbly at the ring in his hand.  
  
Could it be possible? He thought skeptically. To believe so would be to deny all scientific laws.  
  
Yet, John's words and his own reverberated in his head. It seemed so real. He remembered the words and found it almost impossible to believe he'd been dreaming. In fact, now that he thought about it more and more it seemed as if John had thought that he'd never see Harper again. It was almost like John had known.  
  
"I'll see you again."  
  
"Just.don't forget me."  
  
"I won't. I promise."  
  
"Good-bye," Harper whispered as he put the ring safely back in his pocket, ".Dad."  
  
The End. 


End file.
